KABUL — The Taliban government’s acting Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund chaired a cabinet meeting on Tuesday reviewing Afghanistan’s economic situation amid continued increase in poverty and unemployment, according to the General Directorate of Administrative Affairs.
During the routine meeting of ministers of the Afghan interim government, chaired by Hassan Akhund, the economic situation and completion of infrastructure projects were reviewed and concerned agencies were instructed to enhance efforts towards better management of the economic sectors, the General Directorate of Administrative Affairs said in a statement.
“A high-ranking delegation was also appointed to investigate the complaints of private sectors and industrial companies and the delegation should find solutions to their problems,” the statement said.
An economic delegation was also appointed to assess completion of the Shah wa Arus dam, which is located in Kabul province, and submit a report for the next meeting, according to the statement.
In the meeting, continuation of the electronic Identification Card distribution process was emphasized, and a plan for the provision of a statistic draft for population was made, the statement noted.

Issues related to narcotic drugs and addiction, better management of foreign assistance, assessment, approval and confirmation of religious scholars’ ranks, as well as issues concerning the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, among others, were also discussed in details in the meeting, the statement said.
Since the Taliban’s takeover in mid-August, Afghanistan’s economic situation has worsened with higher unemployment rate and rising poverty.